


Counting Chickens

by AKettler



Category: Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Claire - Freeform, Couple, Cute, Drama, F/M, Harvest Moon - Freeform, Kissing, Passionate, Rick - Freeform, Romance, Sex, slight kink, story of seasons - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:01:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25753999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKettler/pseuds/AKettler
Summary: Claire and Rick, what more could you want? Follows the progression of Claire and Rick as a couple with all the fluff and smut I could think of in a sweet fanfic about two farmers falling in love.I got SoS:FoMT two weeks ago and re-fell in love with Rick. I loved him back in the original Harvest Moons and love his glow up so much I was compelled to write my first fanfiction in over ten years!
Relationships: Claire the Farmer/Rick (Harvest Moon)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 33





	1. Part One: First Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, I haven't written a fanfiction in forever! Back when I played Harvest Moon 64 I was in love with Rick and so upset I couldn't play as a girl to marry him. Unfortunately I never got to play More Friend of Mineral Town or DS Cute so I never had a chance to marry him until this game! I love his update as much as I loved his old self. I just adore Rick and I couldn't even really tell you why. Must be the redhead and glasses...
> 
> This chapter doesn't have anything sexy in it but it lays down the foundation for their relationship, just as a heads up for anyone looking for the smut! :D

There was something Claire found appealing about the perpetually frazzled redhead shopkeep. Every time she stopped by to pick up feed for her own chick she saw Rick rushing about taking care of the chickens, cleaning the store, or taking care of the inventory. She was in a lot, every two days, to be exact. In fact, she was in so much that she got to know the little family. They talked about everything from chickens to the weather to Lillia’s absent husband. Lillia expressed her concern over Rick taking on too much at his young age and that he never seemed to relax. Claire agreed.

“You know, Claire, you are in a lot. Like, a lot a lot,” Poprui teased one visit.

“Popuri, hush,” Lillia scolded lightly as she took the 20G Claire had set on the counter. “She is sweet. I enjoy seeing her.”

“I wasn’t saying it’s a bad thing!” Popuri laughed, leaning on the counter. “I like seeing her too. She is just here a lot.”

“Yeah, I guess I am,” Claire admitted as she tried to grasp at anything she could to skirt around what the reason for her frequent visits had become. Embarrassed, she quickly recalled why she originally came so often and blurted it out before she could stop herself. “The feed is pretty heavy and I’ve got a good walk home so I try not to buy more than I can carry or I’ll end up exhausted.”

“Oh, dear why didn’t you say so sooner?” Lillia said. “Popuri, go get Rick and tell him we need two bags of feed.”

Claire didn’t get a chance to protest before Popuri was skipping out the door. She looked to Lillia who gave her the same serene smile that was perpetually on her face. Minutes crept by in what felt like hours before the door finally opened to Popuri’s bouncy pink curls.

“Mmkay! He is ready for you Claire!” She called. He was ready? 

Confused, Claire said her good days to Lillia and stepped outside to find Rick waiting for her, a bag of chicken feed on each shoulder. Claire felt her brain go dead as she stood and stared at him.  
She noticed the slight sheen of sweat that dampened his hair and the cinch in his apron around his waist that made his shoulders appear even broader. Oh he… he was rather attractive, wasn’t he?

“You ready to go?” Rick asked, tilting his head to keep a bead of sweat from rolling into his eye; Claire watched it slide down his neck. “Claire?”

Hearing her name made her hair stand on end but it was the shock she needed to move and approached him, reaching for the bag only to have him lean away.

“Whoa, Popuri said Mom asked me to help you take this to your farm,” Rick explained. 

“O-Oh, no that isn’t what happened, at all actually,” Claire sputtered then took a steadying breath. Calm down, girl, you aren't a teenager anymore. “I said I had a bit of trouble carrying the feed home but you don’t have to carry it for me, Rick! It is almost a half hour walk to the farm... I don’t want to eat up your time.”

“It is fine, I don’t mind!” Rick dismissed with a bright smile. “I enjoy spending time with you and I’d kinda like to see your farm anyway. I haven’t seen it since before you took over.”

Unable to think of a reason to deny him Claire snatched one of the bags off his shoulders and led the way. They talked during their walk, about their business and about their lives, until they were finally at the farm. Their first stop was the coop where Rick instantly fawned over the little yellow chick.

“Hey there little one! What’s your name?” He cooed, squatting down to pet the bundle of feathers. 

“Ha, her name is Nugget,” Claire said, watching the two together. There was a moment where Rick let the name register then his gaze moved to her, frowning. “No! Nothing like that! The day she hatched the first thing I said to her was that she was my little nugget and the name just stuck.”

“It is a very cute name as long as she doesn’t live up to it,” Rick responded. “Want… to show me the rest of the farm? Popuri can watch the store with Mom for just a few minutes, I’m sure.”

And so Claire did. For hours she walked him around the farm showing him how she took care of her crops and other animals. She showed him her cow, Sasha, and her horse, Timber. When the sun finally dipped behind the trees that lined her farm Rick panicked.

“I-Is it that late already?” He cried, touching at his glasses nervously. “Mom and Popuri are probably wondering where I got off to! The shop is probably a disaster! I need to go clean up and put the chickens away and-.”

“Rick,” Claire said calmly, touching his arm in an attempt to ground him. “Relax, I am sure they did just fine. Not everything has to ride on your shoulders.”

There was conflict swimming in Rick’s spinel colored eyes as he let out a deep sigh. “No, you’re right and I know that I just… with Mom…”

“And your mom is your mom, not the other way around. You can’t take care of everyone all the time, Rick. Even Lillia thinks you are overdoing it,” Claire said bluntly. Rick sighed again, nodding as he stared at his boots. Something about how downtrodden he looked tugged at Claire’s heartstrings and she backpedaled. “Listen, I think it is really sweet you want to take care of them but you aren’t your dad. You are Lillia’s son and Popuri’s big brother…”

“I know,” Rick resigned, defeated. “I just… I feel like I have to fill that role or no one else will.”

“I know you feel that way. Everyone does. It is clear in everything you do and they know you love them but you have to still do stuff for yourself too! You can’t give up on your life!” Claire flushed suddenly. “I also know it isn’t really my place to be telling you any of this. They are just worried about you and feel like you are missing out on life to try and take on a burden all by yourself.”

“Do you?” He asked, gaze suddenly locking onto her. “I mean, what could I be missing out on, really?”

“Well, dating is one they both talked about,” Claire said, unable to keep her gaze on him as her cheeks flushed with color. Sensing he had gained some ground in the conversation his entire demeanor shifted and a smirk tugged at his lips.

“Dating? Who would be interested in dating me? Everyone tells me I am like a grumpy old man!” Rick joked, evaporating the tense air that had perverted their conversation. They both laughed. “Ah, I even normally go to the Inn at night for a drink with the other older men in town. Geez…”

“I got a bottle of wine inside Manna gave me when I helped them with their harvest last week,” Claire said, pointing to the farmhouse. “... want to share it with me?”

Rick didn’t need much convincing and one glass quickly turned into half the bottle. As the night, and the alcohol, passed they moved to the same side of the little table just to make the pouring easier, Claire told herself. The more they drank the more Rick talked and the more he talked the more he worked himself into the same tizzy as earlier.

“I just… he just…” Rick mumbled, looking at his empty glass. Claire lifted the nearly empty bottle to fill the glass once again before pouring the last few drops in her own. She had to give Manna and Duke credit, their wine was very strong. 

“I feel like my life has been taken from me sometimes. I didn’t get a choice in what I wanted to do! I am stuck here running the farm and taking care of Mom and Popuri because he up and left! A-And I could gone… I could have gone to school o-or I don’t know, gotten married! I don’t… the only girl who ever paid attention to me used to push my face in the dirt and laugh but instead I am going to die here alone taking care of chickens while Popuri runs off with Kai who might just abandon her just like Dad,” Rick was slurring his words, body swaying as he put a hand on the table to steady himself.

Claire fumbled for words, trying to think of what she could possibly say to him to make him feel better but there was nothing. He wasn’t entirely wrong; the only way he would be able to leave would be to leave Lillia and Popuri on their own which would just shift the burden to Popuri. He had been backed into a corner no child should ever have been by a parent. Emotions surged through her and before her brain could even hope to catch up to her alcohol fueled impulse she touched his cheek, turned his face to her, and kissed him. 

Seconds ticked by as Rick tried to process what had happened. Everything clicked just as Claire began to pull away and he followed after her, grabbing her face in both his hands he pulled her back. Each kiss was sloppy but they lit Claire on fire. Hands moved to grab at hair and clothes, each tugging the other closer until finally Claire felt the plush give of the bed under her. Vision blurring and going dark, the last thing Claire remembered was the feel of his lips on her neck and the soft moan that tumbled past her lips.

The veil of sleep was pierced by the blaring of her alarm at the bright and early hour of 5am. Groaning Claire rolled to slap at the alarm feeling a weight she could only assume was a hangover. However, as the last shreds drowsiness fell away and her eyes opened she was met with the source of the weight and a messy head of orange hair.  
Rick was with her, arm draped across her waist and face tucked to her neck. Head pounding and heart fluttering Claire brought a hand up and carded her fingers through his hair, smiling. She could handle the headache for this…

Claire felt Rick take in a deep breath as he also began to surface from slumber. Even faster than Claire had Rick noticed he was not alone and sat up as fast as his weakened body would let him, face flushing dark.

“O-Oh my god… Cl-Claire are you… are you okay?” He asked immediately, patting himself over and seemed relieved to find they were still dressed. “I didn’t… I didn’t do anything weird to you did I?”

“No! We just kissed,” Claire teased. As much as she wanted to stay in bed she knew she had to get up to get changed and make breakfast before she could get started on her chores. Rick whined, tucking his face into his knees.

“I’m so sorry…”

“Why are you sorry? I kissed you.”

“What?” Rick asked, head snapping up again.

“I kissed you first,” Claire admitted, cheeks turning the faintest shade of pink as she brushed the tangles from her long blond hair.

“Just… because we were drunk?” He was so hesitant it physically hurt Claire.

“No, though I guess the alcohol gave me a bit of courage to actually do it,” she turned to him then, the large mark he had left on her neck clear as the rising sun. She watched his face turn through several shades of red until his entire head looked like a tomato, she couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll wear a kerchief. Okay? Let me make breakfast as we can talk.”

So talk they did. While Claire busied herself making omelettes and rice Rick gathered himself, moving slowly from the bed to the kitchen. Awkwardness surrounded their conversation for a while but they eased back into everything. Testing the waters Rick went around the counter to stand beside Claire, shoulder brushing hers. When she didn’t pull away he moved a bit closer, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“... you are really okay with this?”

“Of course. If I wasn’t, do you think I would have offered to cook you breakfast?” Claire chuckled then snuck a kiss on to the side of his head, delighted when he blushed again.

“... can we not tell Mom and Popuri yet? They… like to meddle and I’m worried they’ll end up putting too much pressure on you,” Rick asked. Claire nodded.

“I can agree to that, for now. As long as you don’t plan on keeping me a secret forever.”

“Oh god no!” Rick declared. “I’ll probably end up bragging to everyone! I just want us to get some time to get comfortable before everyone starts sticking their noses in… it's a small town. I mean, we have a trio of women who meet up almost daily to gossip.”

Clair could only agree.

Comfort was the goal for the new couple and comfortable breakfast was. They ate together, sharing small looks and touches, until it was clear it was time for Claire to get to work. Reluctantly they went together to the door, Rick tapping on his boots before he stepped close to her again.

“I guess I gotta go smooth everything over with Mom and Popuri…” he said then touched her cheek. “You’ll come see me today, right?”

“Of course I will,” Claire assured him.

“Good. Then I will see you later,” he smiled then kissed her. Unlike the kisses the night before their parting kiss wasn’t sloppy or heated but soft and pure. Their lips moved together, once, twice, then three times before parting. 

Parting from him had never been harder for Claire.


	2. Part Two: By Fire Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is the smut I know everyone is here looking fore! More to come still!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the first bit of smut is here! :D 
> 
> Slight emotional notes on the end.

Part Two: By Fire Light

Having made it through her first summer in Mineral Town Claire thought she knew what to expect but during one of her late evening outings in the Secret Forest, while she rooted around trying to find Blue Grass, the sky suddenly opened and let loose a torrential downpour. Lucky for her, her new boyfriend lived just a stone throw away; even luckier he was still awake.

Her first knocks were buried under the crack of thunder that shook the sky but another frantic set summoned him. He opened the door and barely moved out of the way of Claire’s wet fist before she pushed past him into the dim shop, thoroughly soaked. 

“Ah, Claire! You were out in this? Why are you out so late? You need your rest or you are going to make yourself sick!” Rick scolded as he closed the door, oblivious to her pathetic expression until he turned to her. She hadn’t worn her overalls that day, as it had been hot, so she was dressed in only a pair of shorts and a previously white t-shirt that exposed her equally white bra, the two together just barely left anything to the imagination. “A-Ah… let me get you a towel… we have some here for emergencies.”

Claire managed a ‘thank you’ through chattering teeth as Rick disappeared behind the counter to rummage for a towel. Finally, he emerged but kept his head turned only holding the towel and his old apron out to her. “T-Take… take everything off and I’ll start the fireplace so they can dry by it.”

She wasted no time stripping off the wet clothes and tossed them to the floor with a wet plop. Drying herself she slipped the too big apron blue apron over her head.

“Okay… it is a bit big but it’ll work,” Claire said, looking at the sagging apron that dipped low around her chest and fluttered away from her legs any time she moved. The color Rick had managed to get to leave his face rapidly returned as he looked at her; he was fast to find another task to draw his attention.

“I… could go upstairs and see if Mom or Popuri have something but they are asleep…” Rick offered hesitantly. Claire shook her head, leaning against the table while Rick started a fire. She could hear him mutter, “... starting a fire in the middle of summer.”

“No, this is fine,” Claire said before grinning. “I kinda like that it is yours, anyway.”

Rick let out something Claire was sure was supposed to be a hum or acknowledgement but in his flustered state it came out as a high pitched whine. He moved a chair near the fire and draped her clothes over them, watching the fire in an effort to keep his back to her. 

“You don’t want to look at me?” Claire teased.

“No.” Rick answered immediately.

“Aw, why not?”

“Because if I do I’m going to kiss you.”

“... and?”

“AND if I do I know I won’t stop.”

“... promise?”

Claire didn’t have much time to react as Rick turned to her, the flames reflecting off his glasses as he grabbed her face in both hands, diving in for a heated kiss.   
She could feel his hands this time and the roughness working around his ranch had given them. Looking at him it was easy to forget he was, indeed, a rancher; a manual laborer who spent his days taking care of animals and running their shop. As their lips moved Claire moved her hands over his chest, feeling the taut muscles twitch under her touch.

While the fire grew their kisses grew more heated. Rick lifted her onto the edge of the table, moving between her legs he ground against her core forcing a moan from her. He shushed her, kissing her neck as a form of apology for his harsh reaction but moved his hips against hers again. Claire pressed her mouth to his head to muffle her moan, arms moving around his neck and hands fisting his hair as her hips moved back against his. There were the embers of an entirely different fire growing inside of Claire.

For a while only sounds in the small shop were the crackling of the fire and the quiet panting of the couple as they moved against each other. Sweat began to turn to frustration for Claire before she began working on the buttons of his vest, hands moving lower to untie his apron that promptly fluttered to the floor. Panic shocked Rick from their heated make out and he grabbed her wrists.

“Wh-What are you doing?” he breathed.

“Take it off,” Claire grumbled, hands breaking free from his loose grasp to undo the button and zip of his pants. She could hear him gasp as she exposed him, fingers moving over his hard length. Surprisingly, Rick was silent with his face hidden in her shoulder while he moved with her touch. His courage seemed to return as Claire continued to stroke him and he moved the apron from Claire’s lap.

“If I’m going to be exposed so are you,” he growled and moved himself directly against her. 

There was something different when their bare cores touched that shot through Claire allowing the fire that had been building to consume her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and their movements began anew, invigorated by the new sensations, heightened by the heat, and slickened by arousal they rutted desperately against one another.

Then it happened; one stray thrust allowed the head of Rick’s manhood to pierce Claire’s core. Startled by the new and sudden sensation of being penetrated her reflex took over and her legs locked, pulling him into her fully. Unable to keep himself quiet Rick bit her shoulder to silence his moan. As their movements stopped Claire whimpered, snapping Rick out of his haze.

“Claire… Claire I-I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” He asked, concerned. However, when he tried to pull back he was unable to with Claire’s legs still locked around him.

“S-Stop… talking,” Claire puffed then captured his lips, rolling her hips to feel his length grind against her end. 

Knowing they had to stay quiet they kept their movements small, grinding and rutting while connected and silencing sounds through passionate kisses. The pressure Rick’s waist against her clit sent constant spikes of pleasure through Claire with each movement. It didn’t take long before her internal fire became very condensed at her center and she felt like it was going to explode, so much so she didn’t hear Rick’s urgent, “C-Claire… Claire I’m…!” 

The heat of his release sent her tumbling over the edge, her womanhood milking Rick for everything he was worth. Still connected and coming down from euphoria they caught their breath. Rick softened inside her and as he slipped out Claire could feel the evidence of their actions drip from her still quivering core. Unable to think of what she could say to him as he stared at her, emotions swimming in his eyes, she brought him down into a passionate and loving kiss.

“Claire we…”

“It’s fine, love,” Claire comforted, wiping some sweat from his forehead. 

“Are you sure you…”

“Rick I…” Claire started, staring up at him. There was a pressure on her chest, she was scared. “Rick, I love you.”

He was silent, staring at her and it felt like everything Claire had feared ripped through her forcing tears to her eyes. Seeing this Rick was quick to react, brushing her cheeks with his thumbs.

“N-No Claire don’t think that…! It’s just… are…” He stopped, struggling. “Are you sure… you want me?”

Shocked, and a bit dumbfounded, she froze.

“What do you mean? Of course I want you…”

Rick gathered her in his arms, the remaining sweat evaporating in the heat of the room sent a shiver through Claire and gave her tired muscles the strength they needed to hug him back. 

“I love you, too. So much… I just… I don’t want to scare you. I know how I can get,” he was whispering, as if telling her a secret. Claire chuckled softly.

“I know, I’ve seen it but I want you anyway,” she defended, kissing the side of his head. “I’m tough. I can handle it.”

“.... thank you. I’ll… I’ll do my best to make you happy.”

“And I’ll do my best to take care of you for a change.”

It was a promise and Claire intended to keep it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is still more to come! Is there anything you want to read specifically? I have a few ideas but I am always open to more just let me know! <3


End file.
